A place of shelter, faith and laughter

Isn’t it crazy that most of us are so concerned about how many years we will be left on this earth, when we are not even living sensitively in the time we have now? -Robert Wicks, Seeds of Sensitivity, 50. This morning we continued our 7 Sacred Days series with a focus on Dying Well. […]

This is how I will finish my sermon on Sunday morning, so it’s a sneak preview if you’re in early, or will be ready as soon as you’re home from church, if you want to read it again for yourself. It’s a reflection from a collection of Frederick Buechner‘s writings, Listening To Your Life, p2: […]

What’s your favourite food? Imagine biting into it, chewing it luxuriously, savouring the taste… mmm… That’s what we did with Acts 3:1-10 on Sunday morning, in a version of the ancient Christian practice of lectio divina, ‘holy reading’, and it’s something you can do on your own, any day of the week. Start by imagining […]

My Mum used to say to me and my sisters, whenever we were losing a fight and trying to get her to step in on our side, ‘it takes two to tango.’ She meant that it takes two to start a fight, so she wasn’t going to take sides. I think Jesus would agree, and […]

One of the best things about unplugging from screens is that you can enjoy listening to great stuff while doing something else fun or productive. I am in love with Radio New Zealand, and get heaps of their programmes as podcasts that I can listen to whenever I’m doing dishes or folding clothes or whatever. […]

I’ve said before that my Mum is my hero when it comes to giving people ‘the benefit of the doubt’, thinking the best of people rather than the worst. Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel, Lacuna, has reminded me why my Mum’s attitude is so important. The theme of the book is that ‘the most important thing […]

Last week was about listening one-on-one, this week is about listening to the Holy Spirit through each other, as we reflect on the highlights and lowlights of 2009 and start asking about what God might have in store for us in 2010. If you haven’t already, download the reflection sheet from your email account, or […]

I really enjoyed being back at the lectern last Sunday. (I hope I wasn’t the only one!) It was a great feeling to read from one of my favourite parts of the Bible, Romans 12 and try to help us all to be better equipped to support each other in times of lament. I’d be […]